Aunt Donnas services in NY

I flew to Orlando and then to NY when DD died. I never thought I would be back again so quickly. I was waiting for my friends nicole and Kristina to get married before I came home again. But life had other plans for me and I knew I had to go. Aunt Donna had three days of services. On Thursday there was a night wake, and two on Friday. Then on Saturday we had to say our goodbyes at the funeral home before going to Mass and then the burial. It was heartbreaking but also comforting being with family and mourning. In between all of the services we ate. It was surreal laughing and enjoying each other, all of us, before and after being so sad. But it was therapeutic. I got to make a picture collage featuring pictures from our family with aunt donna, and when I got there, there were about 20 of them made by various people. That goes to show how big an impact she had in everybody's life.
Aunt Donna meant so much to so many people, she was a second mother to my sister and I and all of our cousins. She was 2nd Nanny to our kids. Aunt donna didn't think she would have grand kids do she borrowed everyone else's, until the miracle of her first grandchild nine days before she passed. I believe her heart waited until she was whole, until she got to see and hold and love her grand baby. My mom came to lizzie's (my cousin, aunt donnas daughter who lives in alabama) right after the baby was born. She left on friday and aunt donna died early sunday morning. They were more than sissys, they were best friends. I believe her heart knew she had to see her best friend one last time. They think she had a massive heart attack first thing in the morning. She was 59 years old.
Getting back to the services, on Saturday we went to mass at the catholic church. My cousin Lisa and I were chosen to pray and it was such an honor. Anyone who knows me is probably laughing at this agnostic in church. I bet aunt donna was. My Uncle had a world renowned opera singer come sing "Ave Maria", it was beautiful. At the burial, aunt donna was surrounded by all of her flowers symbolizing her life: bootiful, bountiful, peanut butter and jelly, betty boop. The whole day it was overcast, but as we were saying goodbye, the sun shown down on us. We each placed A rose on the casket. My mom finally gave aunt donna back her red hair clip. Cousin Babz, in the jakubowski tradition, Indian called aunt donna home. With that, we said our goodbyes and went over a few yards away to where my nanny was buried. It was the first time I had been to her grave. It was a long, hard week and weekend, but it was all good. Aunt Donna was smiling down on us, I know it in my bones.
Here are some pics I took.
They are kind of out of order but here ya go. Thanks for letting me share.